Hermetically sealed containers with unitary closure are known. Such containers can be used to hold liquid contents and may have a unitary nozzle with the discharge end of the nozzle closed off. A portion of the nozzle is severed or broken off when it is desired to discharge the liquid contents.
For many applications, such containers function very well. However, in other applications, it may be desirable to have a container which is as small as possible for the given amount of liquid contained therein. This may be especially true where a number of such containers are intended to be packed together for storing or shipping. If the containers have unitary nozzles, each nozzle projects from the main body of its container and may interfere with the packing of the adjacent containers. Further there is a possibility that the nozzle could be accidentally broken during handling, or while the container is being shipped in a package with other containers, and thus permit the contents of the container to drain out.
A way to overcome the above-described problems is to provide a compact, unitary dispensing container which is hermetically sealed but which does not have an outwardly projecting nozzle structure. However, a means must be provided for opening the hermetically sealed container to allow discharge of the contents therefrom. Further, in order to obtain the benefits of a dispensing nozzle, it would be desirable to provide means for permitting the container to be used in conjunction with a separate, but readily attached, nozzle.